Golf Club Carrier

ABSTRACT

A golf club carrier is disclosed that is desirably lightweight and conveniently carried by a golfer from a cart to a remote ball location, The subject carrier will desirably support and maintain a plurality of clubs in a position that is substantially parallel to the underlying ground surface. The subject carrier is configured to engage and stand substantially upright above the underlying ground surface nearby the ball location, and is desirably easily releasable from the ground when desired.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/966,402, filed Feb. 24, 2014, the complete contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device for carrying golf clubs, and more particularly, to a device that is useful for carrying a plurality of golf clubs, most preferably from two to four golf clubs, from a golf cart to a ball location remote from the golf cart where the next shot is to be played, or in other circumstances where it is helpful to carry fewer than a full complement of golf clubs.

2. Description of Related Art

The most common and well known way for a golfer to transport a set of golf clubs while on a golf course is in a golf bag. The bag can be carried in a golf cart, on a pull-cart, by a caddy, or by the golfer. The present invention is intended for principal use in the circumstance where the golf bag is transported on and remains inside a golf cart during a round of golf.

When playing golf, it is not uncommon for a golfer to leave a golf cart on the cart path and then walk to a position where the ball is lying many yards away, sometimes on the other side of a fairway or green. On some courses golfers are required to maintain golf carts on the path at all times and, on other courses, carts are sometimes required to remain on the cart path when the course is wet.

Depending upon factors such as, for example, a particular golfer's experience, skill level, playing style, distance from the hole, wind conditions, ball lie and green conditions, the golfer may desire to carry a plurality of clubs, such as from two to four clubs, with him as he leaves the golf cart to walk to his ball. For example, the golfer may prefer to carry more than one iron, an iron and a wedge, more than one wedge, and a putter with him as he considers his approach shot to a green. If the grass is wet, the golfer will likely prefer not to lay his extra clubs on the ground. The present invention is configured to provide a golfer with a convenient means of carrying more than one club and for supporting the unused clubs above ground level while hitting the next shot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This device is designed to allow an individual to easily carry up to four golf clubs, or more, in circumstances where transporting less than a full complement of clubs is desirable. Such circumstances can include, for example, a situation as discussed above where the use of golf carts is restricted to “Cart Paths Only,” or where a golfer may choose to carry only those clubs needed during a practice session, on the driving range or “short game area,” or on a “Par 3” course where the design of the holes/course is such that certain clubs (i.e., a driver or fairway woods) are rendered unnecessary due to the shorter length of the holes or course.

By way of example only, and not limitation, the device is particularly useful in a situation where a golfer's shot has missed the putting surface on the approach shot and the golfer is uncertain what type of shot or club may be best suited for the lie or location of the ball. By supporting the extra clubs above the ground, the subject device is also helpful for keeping the clubs—and particularly the grips—dry and clean when the area around the green is wet from rain or irrigation water.

Another advantage of the golf club carrier of the invention is that it will improve the pace of play by eliminating trips back across the fairway or around the putting surface to retrieve a more appropriate club. Improving the pace of play not only enhances the enjoyment of the game for the individual and playing companions but also those groups of golfers following behind.

A golf club carrier is disclosed here that is desirably lightweight and conveniently carried, that is configured to releasably engage and support two or more golf clubs, that can be pushed into the ground to maintain the carrier in an upright position while the golfer is hitting a shot with another club, and that can be easily removed from the ground after the shot is hit.

One embodiment of the subject golf club carrier comprises a frame, a carrying handle attached to or integrally molded or fabricated with the frame, a plurality of club engagement members attached or attachable to the frame to support a plurality of clubs in an alignment substantially parallel to the ground, and at least one ground engagement member adapted to maintain the golf club carrier and a plurality of clubs in a substantially upright position relative to the ground.

One embodiment of the subject golf club carrier is fabricated from lightweight metal; and another embodiment is made of molded polymeric material. Other embodiments of the invention can be constructed of custom higher value materials, depending upon the marketing strategies or intended markets for those embodiments.

Various embodiments of the invention can be made with different types of bases. Although ground engagement members that are at least partially implantable into the ground are depicted in the drawings, it will be appreciated that other types of ground engagement members with foldable legs, tripod assemblies, and the like can also be provided for use in the devices of the invention. Such devices may engage the ground without being implanted in it, and avoid the difficulties that could arise during removal of pointed stakes or legs from some soils.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The apparatus of the invention is further described and explained in relation to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive device;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1 with a plurality of golf clubs supported by the device shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the device of FIG. 1 with a plurality of golf clubs supported by the device shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a more compact embodiment of the inventive device, supporting four golf clubs shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of an embodiment of the inventive device comprising four golf club engagement members that are each provided with an cushioning layer to support, help hold and reducing rattling between the golf clubs and the device;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of the invention comprising a transverse bar linking two opposed ground engagement members; and

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of the invention comprising a vertical support member connected to a triangular base having three ground engagement members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, golf club carrier 10 comprises: a molded polymeric frame 12 that further comprises an attached carrying handle 20; upper and lower spaced-apart lateral frame members 44, 46 respectively; left and right space-apart vertical frame members 40, 42, respectively, left and right leg members 14, 16, having comparatively pointed end sections 18, 38 respectively; and left and right club support members 21, 23, respectively, attached to portions of frame 12 that extend laterally beyond the. A plurality of golf club engagement members 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 are depicted in FIG. 1, with golf club engagement members 22, 24, 30 and 32 being forwardly facing, and golf club engagement members 26, 28, 34 and 36 being rearwardly facing. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure that frame 12 and the golf club engagement members 22-36 of golf club carrier 10 can be variously configured and can be made of different materials without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, most if not all of golf club carrier 10 can be satisfactorily molded from a thermoplastic polymeric resin such as polypropylene. Alternatively, golf club carrier 10 can be conveniently fabricated from lightweight metal parts (such as aluminum) or from a combination of polymeric and metal parts. Left and right club support members 21, 23 (FIG. 1) can be attachable to or integrally molded to left and right end parts 45, 47 (FIG. 3) of frame 12. It will also be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure that the number and spacing of golf club engagement members 22-36 can vary, and that golf club engagement members 22-36 can be configured in many different similarly effective ways within the scope of the invention. For example, other types of golf club engagement members can include clasps, straps with snaps, stretchable bungee cords and hooks, or the like, in place of the recurved hooks as depicted.

Upon exiting the golf cart to walk over to ball lying, for example, in a fairway position away from the cart, the user might select, for example, a 9-iron, a pitching wedge, a sand wedge and a putter, and place them in the carrier. Upon reaching the ball location and surveying the shot and the conditions, the player might elect to hit the 9-iron. If the approach shot lands in a trap, the golfer already has both his sand wedge and putter with him to avoid having to return to the cart between shots without carrying extra clubs that must be dropped to the ground where no golf club carrier 10 is present.

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict four golf clubs 48, 50, 52, 54 (drawn in phantom outline because they do not comprise part of the invention) that are supported by golf club carrier 10 in substantially parallel relation to each other and to an underlying ground surface (visible in FIG. 4). Golf club carrier 10 can be conveniently carried by handle 20, and golf clubs 48-54 will generally be suspended at a distance above the ground that lies between the waist and knees of the user. This will allow leg members 14, 16 of golf club carrier 10 to hang between the knee and ankle level of the user without dragging the ground prior to reaching the ball. Once the user is near his ball, he can press frame 12 of golf club carrier 10 downwardly so that a sufficient portion of legs 14, 16 are implanted in the ground to support golf club carrier 10 in a substantially upright position. The golfer can then survey the conditions, select a club, address the ball, change clubs if desired, and hit the shot.

Referring to FIG. 4, another golf club carrier 60 made within the scope of the invention is depicted in a side elevation view in which frame 62 comprising one or more leg(s) 64 with pointed lower end(s) 66 is positioned just above the surface level of underlying ground 65. This embodiment of the invention will desirably also have at least two laterally spaced-apart legs 64 to provide additional stability, and will support carried clubs 72, 74, 76, 78 above ground level. In this embodiment, golf club engagement members 68, 70 support and maintain clubs 72-78 in substantially parallel alignment to underlying ground 65.

Referring to FIG. 5, which is intended to replicate diagrammatically the left end part 45 of FIG. 3 as viewed along line 5-5, it will be appreciated that golf club engagement member 22 of left club support member 21 can be configured so that the portion of the golf club shaft between the grip and hosel will fit snugly inside the curve of the golf club engagement member 22. The clearance between the recurved portion of the free end of engagement member 22 and left club support member 21 is, according to one embodiment of the invention, sufficiently narrow that the recurved portion will be spread to a slightly wider position by the club shaft as it is pushed downwardly into the position shown, and will then spring back slightly to help hold the golf club in place. In this regard, it should be noted that the clearances shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be drawn to scale. According to still another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 6, rubbery or elastomeric cushioning members 80 are desirably provided to line the curved sections of golf club engagement members 22′, 24′, 26′, 28′ to provide additional frictional engagement with the club shaft and thereby reduce the likelihood of sliding or rattling clubs as golf club carrier 10 is carried from or back to the cart. It will also be appreciated that golf club engagement members 22′-28′ of left end part 45′ can be differently configured within the scope of the invention, so that golf clubs are releasably but differently held by the golf club carrier of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, golf club carrier 90 is shown that is constructed similarly to golf club carrier 10 of FIGS. 1-3 except that an additional transverse crossbar 96 is provided between legs 92, 94 to lend stability to the device and to provide a footrest for use when pressing points 98, 100 downwardly into the ground to support carrier 90 and any clubs it may be carrying (none shown in this view) while the golfer is hitting a shot.

Referring to FIG. 8, another embodiment of the invention is shown in which golf club carrier 110 comprises a handle 112 with finger grip undulations 114 disposed on the underside and with a different base structure disposed beneath bottom lateral frame member 118. In this device, U-shaped frame member 116 and shaft portion 120 cooperate to support golf club carrier 110 above triangular base 122 having three downwardly pointing ground engagement members 124, 126, 128. During use of this device, each of the pointed sections of triangular base 122 can serve as footrests upon which downwardly directed pressure can be applied to releasably implant ground engagement members 124, 126, 128 in the underlying ground. It will be appreciated upon reading this disclosure that many other base configurations can likewise be provided as part of golf club carriers 10, 60, 90, 110 of the invention in order to achieve various other functional or cost objectives. For example, bases can include foldable or telescoping legs that do not require implantation in the ground, or leg cleaning devices that will release attached soil from the legs upon retrieval of the golf club carrier for transport to another ball lie or back to the golf cart.

It will also be understood and appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art and by golfers well familiar with typical playing conditions, that the use of golf club carrier 10 is not required every time the golfer leaves the cart. For example, the ball may lie near the cart path, in which case the golfer will simply withdraw an appropriate club for the shot and leave golf club carrier 10 in the cart until needed. If desired, attachment devices can also be configured for use in attaching or storing golf club carrier 10 on or inside a cart between uses.

Other alterations and modifications of the invention will likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this specification in view of the accompanying drawings, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventor/Applicant is legally entitled. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf club carrier comprising a frame, a carrying handle attached or attachable to the frame, a plurality of club engagement members attached or attachable to the frame to support a plurality of clubs in an alignment substantially parallel to ground underlying the carrier, and at least one ground engagement member attached or attachable to the frame adapted to maintain the golf club carrier in a substantially upright position relative to the ground.
 2. The golf club carrier of claim 1 wherein the frame is fabricated from a group of materials consisting primarily of lightweight metal and molded polymeric material.
 3. The golf club carrier of claim 2 wherein the frame comprises aluminum parts.
 4. The golf club carrier of claim 2 wherein the frame comprises a moldable polymeric material.
 5. The golf club carrier of claim 4 wherein the frame comprises molded polypropylene.
 6. The golf club carrier of claim 1, comprising a number of club engagement members that is sufficient to support up to four golf clubs in an alignment substantially parallel to the ground.
 7. The golf club carrier of claim 6 wherein each club engagement member comprises a club cushioning surface made of rubber or another elastomeric material.
 8. The golf club carrier of claim 1 wherein the ground engagement member comprises a plurality of pointed members insertable into the ground.
 9. The golf club carrier of claim 1 wherein the ground engagement member comprises a base member that rests upon an underlying ground surface.
 10. The golf club carrier of claim 1 wherein the ground engagement member comprises a transverse bar upon which a user can step to assist in inserting other portions of the ground engagement member into the underlying ground. 